Cronk ny Merriu
| Cronk ny Merriu | |
|
Isle of Man | |
|---|---|
 Cronk ny Merriu | |
| Type: | Hill fort |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | SC317704 |
| Location: | 54°6’9"N, 4°34’30"W |
| History | |
| Built Iron Age | |
| Information | |
| Owned by: | Manx National Heritage |
| Website: | Cronk ny Merriu: MNH |
Cronk ny Merriu is one of the remains of promontory forts on the Isle of Man. Its name is somewhat gruesome, being the Manx for 'Hill of the Dead'.
The site is close to Port Grenaugh, and dates back almost 2,000 years. The bank and ditch of Iron Age date created a defensive promontory fort at Cronk ny Merriu. Later, a rectangular building of Norse style and layout stood here, part of a system of coastal lookout posts.
The survival of any interior structures at Cronk ny Merriu is remarkable since the Norse conquerors and settlers who arrived on the Isle of Man in the eighth and ninth centuries frequently re-used the promontory forts as sites for their own houses, obliterating the old domestic quarters. Nevertheless, the Norse were here and a Norse-style house was built within the fort. It appears to have served as part of a system of coastal lookout posts aroud the island.
Visiting
Several of the lookout posts, especially in Santon, where Cronk ny Merriu is found, can be visited using the coastal footpath. All of the posts have a rampart on their vulnerable landward side, and excavations have shown that access to the fort was by way of a strongly built gate.
Cronk ny Merriu has been used as the basis of the reconstruction of an Iron Age fort in the House of Manannan museum.
Outside links
References
- Cronk ny Merriu information on Gatehouse Gazeteer